Clean lines. Warm wood. Linen cabanas. Palm trees overhead. This is the backyard that stops people mid-scroll, and a rectangular pool with cabana and wood decking is exactly what The Floridian Collection by Lavender Landscape Design Co. was designed to deliver, right here in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.
Inspired by Haley’s family trip to the Florida coast, the collection is about bringing that effortless resort feeling home. Here’s what each piece contributes, and how we make it all work in the desert.
Why a Rectangular Pool Is the Right Choice
There’s a reason rectangular pools show up at every high-end resort. Clean geometry gives an outdoor space a sense of purpose and intention. It pairs beautifully with modern and coastal architecture, creates natural symmetry, and photographs in a way freeform pools simply can’t match. In luxury design, simplicity isn’t settling. It’s a statement.
A rectangle is practical, too:
- It’s easy to swim. A long, straight run is ideal for laps and water games.
- It aligns with the house. Lined up with a door, window or view, it becomes an extension of the architecture.
- It frames everything else. A clean edge lets your cabana, planting and decking take center stage.
- It’s easier to cover and maintain. Straight lines suit automatic covers and robotic cleaners well.
Add a sun shelf at one end for lounging in a few inches of water, and a raised spa or spillover at the other, and the rectangle becomes a full resort experience. (For the fundamentals, see our guide to custom pool design in Arizona.)
What Wood Decking Adds to the Space
Wood decking does something travertine and concrete can’t. It adds warmth. That organic texture underfoot changes the entire feeling of a space, softening the sharp edges of the pool and creating a natural flow between the water and the landscape.
At Lavender, every decision around wood decking is intentional. Grain direction, color tone, how it connects to the cabana structure. Nothing is placed without a reason.
Making wood work in Arizona sun
Real talk: our sun is hard on wood, and dense hardwoods can get warm underfoot. That doesn’t mean skipping the look. It means designing for it:
- Use wood where there’s shade. Under and around the cabana is the perfect place for it.
- Pair it with cooler surfaces. Travertine at the pool edge and main walkways, wood as the warm accent zone.
- Choose the right material. Dense tropical hardwoods, thermally modified woods and wood-look porcelain each balance authenticity, heat and maintenance differently.
- Plan for care. Natural wood silvers over time unless it’s oiled. Some clients love that patina; others want the honey tone to last.
The Cabana: A Destination Within Your Own Backyard
A cabana is more than shade. It’s the detail that turns a beautiful backyard into a place you never want to leave. Linen drapes catching the breeze, a deep lounge structure with warm wood framing, and soft textiles that hold up in the Arizona heat.
In The Floridian Collection, our cabanas are designed to feel architectural and intentional. They anchor the entire outdoor living experience.
What makes a cabana work:
- Placement. Set on the pool’s long side or at the far end, facing the house, so it becomes a focal point from inside.
- Orientation. Positioned to block the harshest afternoon sun from the west.
- Comfort. Ceiling fans, lighting and outlets built in from the start, with space for a daybed or deep sofa.
- Fabric. Solution-dyed outdoor fabrics resist fading far better than standard linen in desert sun.
A cabana also bridges seasons. In summer it’s your shade and nap spot. In winter, with drapes drawn and a nearby fire feature, it’s cozy after dark. Pair it with a coastal fire pit and the evening takes care of itself.
Tropical Landscaping That Actually Thrives in the Desert
The lush palms and layered greenery in this design aren’t just for looks. With the right plant selection, this aesthetic performs beautifully in the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley climate. Heat-loving palms, bird of paradise and flowering tropicals thrive here with smart irrigation and placement. They create privacy, movement, and that unmistakable feeling that you’ve arrived somewhere special.
A few principles we follow:
- Palms for height and rhythm, spaced to echo the pool’s straight lines
- Layered mid-height tropicals like bird of paradise to soften walls and screen neighbors
- Low, clean groundcovers near the water to keep debris out of the pool
- Microclimates. More delicate plants go where they get afternoon shade
The same approach carries to the front of the house in our post on tropical front yard landscaping in Arizona.
Why a Rectangular Pool with Cabana Works So Well
What makes this combination feel so good is how the pieces relate. The rectangle sets the order. The wood adds warmth. The cabana gives you somewhere to be. The planting softens it all and makes it feel like a getaway. Add an outdoor kitchen designed to entertain and you may never want to leave home.
It’s one expression of The Floridian Collection, our coastal-Florida-inspired design series. Explore the full Floridian Collection to see how it translates to fire features, kitchens and front yards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose a rectangular pool over a freeform pool?
A rectangular pool offers clean geometry that pairs well with modern and coastal architecture, creates natural symmetry and is ideal for swimming laps. It also frames surrounding features like cabanas, decking and planting beautifully. Freeform pools suit some styles, but a rectangle delivers that polished resort look many Scottsdale homeowners want.
Does wood decking work around a pool in Arizona?
Yes, with thoughtful design. Use wood where it gets shade, such as around a cabana, and pair it with cooler materials like travertine along the pool edge. Material choice matters too: dense hardwoods, thermally modified wood and wood-look porcelain each balance heat, maintenance and authenticity differently in the Arizona sun.
What makes a good pool cabana?
A great cabana is placed as a focal point, oriented to block afternoon sun, and built with fans, lighting and outlets from the start. Choose deep, comfortable seating and fade-resistant outdoor fabrics. Designed architecturally rather than as an add-on, a cabana becomes the anchor of your outdoor living space year-round.
Can tropical plants really thrive in Scottsdale?
Many can. Heat-loving palms, bird of paradise and a range of flowering tropicals do well in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley with proper irrigation, soil preparation and placement. Putting more sensitive plants in spots with afternoon shade helps them handle summer heat while keeping that lush, resort-style look.
Build Your Floridian Backyard
If this design has been living in your saved folder, it’s time to build it. Explore our services, browse the portfolio, or schedule a design consultation. Your design retainer is credited toward construction when you build with Lavender. Getting started is easy: a call with our client coordinator and an initial in-office consultation are both complimentary, and on-site consultations require a $250 deposit that’s credited toward your design.
